A slapshot (or slap shot) in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:
The slapshot is harder than other shots, and because of the violent motion involved, somewhat less accurate. It also takes longer to execute; a player usually cannot take a slapshot while under any significant pressure from an opposing player because the opponent could easily interfere during the windup. The slapshot is most commonly used by a defenceman at the point, especially during a power play, although a forward will sometimes find an opportunity to use it.
At the yearly NHL all-star "hardest shot" skill competition, the winning slapshot typically propels the puck at around 100 miles per hour (160 kilometres per hour). Al Iafrate holds the record during an NHL All-Star skills competition at 105.2 mph using a wooden stick (newer carbon sticks are lighter, allowing for faster movement and thus produce faster shots). Bobby Hull is credited with the hardest slapshot on record, clocked on one occasion at a speed of 118.3 mph.
